Am I Doing it Right?

I have TI9 I bought sometime last year. I've been using Kanguru with it but, I've been wondering if I'm doing this right. My sole purpose for Kanguru and TI was to have a backup HDD in the event of a failure. The way I do it is about every couple weeks, I use the Clone function and copy from my C:drive to the external HDD...erasing any partitions and just starting from scratch, so to speak.

In the opening of TI9 you have that option or under Backup, you can "copy the entire disk contents or individual partitions". Does it matter which way I use this to copy my HDD or should one be better than the other...that is , cloning vs backup. To me they're the same. Since I have frequent backups from MS, spyware programs, adding, deleting programs, etc, I felt the cloning would be best to make an exact copy of my old hard drive.

Also, should I put the jumper in the same pins on the HDD I'm cloning to as the old one or does that matter?

 

If you want to have a "ready-to-boot" backup drive, then Cloning is what you want. But if you want to save several Backup Images over a period of time, then Backup is the feature to use. This requires that you Recover the backup image to a hard drive for that drive to be useable.

 

Thanks-then I'll continue as I have been. Any idea on the jumper pins? Both HDD are WD 80G and of the same type.

 

ColColt,

My opinion.... definitely don't use your current method.

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=general;action=display;num=1132968474;start=7#7

 

Any drive in an enclosure usually has to be jumpered as Master. WD is the only maker I know that has to have the jumper different when the drive is the only one on the ide channel to when it is a Master with a Slave device on the same channel. So cloning is not what determines where the jumper should be.

 

I thought the purpose behind Acronis (one anyway) was so you could clone your HDD in the event of a mechanical/electrical failure of your HDD. That's what I bought it for. I only wanted to make an exact duplicate of what I have running now in the event it died, say tonight, I could pop the clone in and be back up and running in minutes. It doesn't matter if the cloning process copies empty space or not since that's what I originally wanted...an exact duplicate from settings in my browser to all pictures in My Pictures folder.

I remember about four years back I made a clone of the HDD I had running because it was making strange grinding noises. I don't recall how I did it but after this process, I took the old Seagate Barracuda out and replaced it with the current WD I have running now. It booted into Windows right off the bat and acted just like nothing had happened-except it was a new one. This is what I wanted with Acronis and Kanguru.

Ralphie-So, in essence, it doesn't matter where the jumper is on the cloned drive from what I gathered.

 

If it is a WD drive and there is no slave device the jumper is one way. If there is a slave device the jumper is another way.

 

Both are WD HDD's. Which ever way the one is in the processor was the way I was going to put the jumper on the external I'm using as a clone drive. The HDD I'm using to back up with is not installed but an external jobbie I hook up to the USB port out front of the processor and then after the cloning process, hide it away in the closet until next time.

I suppose the only way to really know if all this is going to work is to take the one out of the processor and replace it with my clone. That should tell me upfront if there's going to be a problem.

 

ColColt,

Difference between an image and a clone.

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/notes.htm#14

An image will do what you desire and has many advantages over a clone. You can have dozens of images but only one clone. You can create images daily on a scheduled basis so no effort on your part. You won't create daily clones to keep them up to date. Too much work.

Most image restores are done for software reasons, not for HD failure. Keeping an outdated clone waiting for that HD failure every few years isn't very efficient. A series of images is far better. You can make a decision of where the software error occurred and restore the image. If it's the wrong image then restore an older one.

I realize images are a difficult concept at first but they are for backup. Clones are for migrating to a larger HD and are meant to be used immediately, not kept in a drawer.

 

That was a bit confusing. I use to use BackupMy PC by Stomp but, every time I used it (for the incremental backup), I'd end up using 12-15 CD's so, I'd have 12 here, 15 over there...it was too much hassel and took too many CD's.

I never could get the Ghost system down...had a mental block I guess so, I canned that. I never knew if something did happen if I'd be able to restore or not. Some swear by it but, I just didn't like it. When I originally cloned the HDD I have running now, it was used immediately as I felt the noise I kept hearing from the old one was about to go and was definitely imminent. After cloning, I replaced it and haven't had any trouble from it and that was about four years ago. I know it won't last a lot longer due to the age and usage it gets-hence, the need I felt for keeping an updated copy of all I had.

Since I update about every 2-4 weeks using this clone process and keep it handy in the event of HDD failure, it should still work as intended...wouldn't it? I recently deleted a couple of programs, added a few more like Kodak's EasyShare software due to a new digital camera, added Spyware Doctor in favor of Spy Sweeper, MS updates, etc. After making all these changes, I felt it necessary to make another "clone" copy so I wouldn't loose all those changes. That's what I use Acronis for. I don't quite follow the imaging process so, it seemed easier for me to just clone every so often. Am I being hard headed?

 

Somewhat. In the event of a drive failure you could put your clone drive in place of your boot drive and go from there. You can't restore a cloned drive only replace it. However if you want to update to a new boot drive and if you have created an "Image", you could put in the new drive, boot from the rescue CD and restore your image to the new drive. Can't do the with a "Clone". Your choice.

 

Too many CDs. Use a HD to store your backups.

 

Yep-that's all I wanted to do. The cloned HDD is just for insurance purposes as I know the one I'm using now for the past 3 1/2-4 years can't last much longer with it's daily usage. The only reason I go through the cloning process ever so often is to pick up the changes that's been made due to updates on programs including MS, adding and deleting programs. I have Acronis delete any partitions and go from there, picking up all new changes and I'm set in the event of a HDD failure two days away. That's my only purpose for doing it. The clone should boot up and go without any special recovery or boot disk. I'll just use the same drive letter I used on the old one. Hope that made sense.

That's what I've been talking about. BackupMy PC used way too many CD's so I abandoned that in favor of the external HDD/Acronis method.

 

ColColt,

I don't think we are on the same wavelength yet. I feel you should write backup images to a HD. Not write clones to a HD. Clones aren't an efficient backup tool. Particularly clones written to an external HD. They may not boot. I don't suggest using CD/DVDs for a primary backup.

 

ColColt,

You don't mention much as to whether you perform full image backups using Acronis. I hope you will make a frequent practice of doing so. It can provide up-to-date relief in case you have a hard drive failure.

Should I have a failure, I would simply put in a new replacement drive.
Bootup using the Bootable Rescue CD and then restore my entire system onto the new drive using one of my many True Image Home full system image backups. Quick and painless. (and yes, I have proved that it works.) I have never felt the need to use the cloning procedure.

 

GroverH,

Nicely expressed.


ColColt,

Do you appreciate the difference between a clone and a backup image? We are not trying to give you a hard time. Just trying to help you.